[PRP] Taming the Beast { Phosgene x Cyanide }

[techabyte]

Pain. Pain shot through his body like venom through blood. Every second, of every passing minute made him cringe. It hadn't been this bad in quite some time. The pain was something he had learned to ignore and get over. Something that he could just pretend didn't exist. But today it was getting to the point that he felt animalistic; that logic and thought was leaving him in seconds. A snarl slipped out of his throat as he moved through the forest, dragging his cloven hooves as he did. The fading wings folded tight against his back, and the large ears started to slowly flop down in front of his face.

It was almost obvious he was in a bad mood.

A shift in the wind caused the leaves to rustle. This caused a hiss to leave the stallion. What was it? What was coming to him? For a moment, he thought a threat, and he was very ready to attack. But when it ended up being nothing, the stallion shook out his head, glaring at the world around him. Everything hurt; and he was now in a very foul mood. His eyes flickered for a few moments, before he slowly lowered himself to the ground, his eyes closing as he tried to push the pain away from his body. He was weak now; weak and very distant to the world around him.  

[Novablu]

The slender, effeminate mare slinked through the shadows, each and every pawstep quiet against the soft summer grass. Darkness surrounded her, swathed her in shadows that held her tightly and promised to never let go; she felt safe here, in the dark, knowing she was better equipped as a predator rather than prey, unlike some. But she wasn’t hunting, no. She was merely enjoying the night, the crickets’ song filling her ears. She could hunt, sure—but she wasn’t hungry and she hadn’t been hungry in awhile. Things were so…crazy. She was lost, an empty shell of a mare, without a memory to call her own. And it confused her, baffled her, frustrated her.

Who was she? Was she someone important, somewhere? Did she have family—and if she did, would she ever remember them? Her ears flattened against her skull as she sulked, body low to the ground like a wolf’s. Her eyes glowed an eerie blue and the two fangs that hung from a leather cord around her neck glowed faintly as well. She took in a deep breath, filtering through all the scents until she picked out one inparticular—pain.

A shutterflash ripped through her, blinding her mind to all else but one image: two snarling wolves, blood dripping from their pelts, staining the rainy earth all around them, flesh hanging in flaps. One of those wolves was her—fierce and beautiful—and the other… She pressed her eyes shut, trying to grasp the image when all she saw were pale blue eyes staring into her soul. Eyes full of hate and she felt a stab of pain in her shoulder—phantom pain, because she had been healed. A breath caught in her chest and she surged forwards on fleet feet, trying to find the source of the pain.

Someone needed help. “Hello?” Her voice was soft, almost husky.  

[techabyte]

Novablu

The pure sound of foot fall made the long ears perk up, though they bent at the halfway mark. Shifting slightly, the stallion bared sharp teeth, ready to fight off whomever was around that dared to threaten him. Phosgene never allowed anyone near him; he despised people to a great extent. His nose twitched some, taking in the smell of the word around him. He was trying to pinpoint what was coming toward him; and for just a moment, he smelled dog. Though, with more of a wild side. Wolf, would be a better word. He let out a low snarl of an noise, followed by a slight hiss. Whomever was coming for him would have a very hard time getting to the pained stallion.

When the voice rang out, Phosgene seemed startled. His noises stopped, and he lifted his head to stare toward the trees and bushes. He tried to will himself to get up off the ground, but all he got was a small shift in his stance. His tail lashed and flicked behind him quickly, He was very ready to snap his fangs and beat his wings, though they were torn and gone from him. He peered toward the trees, and then spotted it. The colors shifting in the trees. The glow of two blue dots not far from his lying spot. He bared his fangs for a moment longer, before flinching, his eyes squeezing shut. He took a deep breath, calming his mind from the pain, before peering back toward the rainbow not far from him.  

[Novablu]

techabyte

The world grew quiet, not even a hiss of static in her head, just pure uninterrupted silence. So quiet… A shiver wormed through the wolfkin mare, making the line of hair down her spine stick up, alert and suddenly wary. She could smell blood, the sharp, metallic tang on the air enough to make her head spin, but this time no thoughts, no memories made themselves known and once again, she was alone in her empty mind. She kept her body poised and ever so still as she tested the air, but the scent was…different than anything she’d ever smelled.

Besides the blood. The bitter stench of blood would never leave her, forever ingrained into her memory. What happened, what happened? But nothing came and she shook her head, sending her rainbow mane flying to snap the side of her neck. It was shortly after she called out that she heard a reply--low and snarling, curled at the edges in warning and Cyanide had half a mind to turn and flee into the woods on fleet paws.

But she could feel him. Maybe not physically because she had no power, no inner prowess, but she did have a sense of empathy and the beast not far off was in pain and very very…angry. She flattened her ears against her skull before slinking forwards and the creature that she found was one of dreams…or nightmares.

Her eyes seeked out his, slitted and pale and promising of death and despair. Spikes lined his back and a whipcord tail lashed back and forth and Cyanide found that she wasn’t afraid. She was…transfixed. “Do you want help?” she asked, keeping her voice hushed, a murmur of noise. She wasn’t fool enough to play the savior and try and help a creature who refused. She would give him that choice.  

[techabyte]

Phosgene wasn’t sure what to do. On one hoof, he could snarl, he could destroy anything that came too close, so long as he got the energy to fight back. He could even make himself seem larger, even though he was rather small himself. But so far, he didn’t even know what this creature in front of him was. The rabbit eared Soquili shifted slightly, his wings folding against his back as he tried to wiggle backwards some. To get himself back against the tree line in case he needed to shove against it and fight forward. The muscles around his nose twitched again, those that were actually there, before he bared his fangs slightly in warning, even though the creature still wasn’t close to him.

It wasn’t until the sight of the wolf-mare appeared did Phosgene stop his growling. He blinked pale pink eyes toward the other creature, his ears shifting slightly to stand at as much of a full attention as he could muster. She was odd… but he was probably worse. Instead of hooves, paws where what carried the mare from place to place. Her tail wasn’t of hair or demonic, nor Kirin like his mothers. Instead, it resembled that of the deadly canine; the wolf. She was interesting, that was for sure. And no matter how Phosgene looked over her, he was uncertain what to think. One moment he wanted to flee, or fight. And then at the same time, he was curious and uncertain if he should question how she came to take on the form of a wolf.

When she spoke, Phosgene’s fangs once more appeared. He bore them with a sense of ferocity and uncertainty. He shifted slightly, trying to stand himself up, but flinched instead, slowly lowering himself back into a more comfortable position. His tail lashed behind him, and his eyes narrowed some. For a moment, he wasn’t certain what to do. But he calmed himself down, his muscles quivering a bit. After a few moments, he lifted his head rather proudly, trying to show that he wasn’t hurt, though the pain was evident in his eyes and how he held himself. He didn’t speak, he usually didn’t. He often responded in just hisses and growls. Why? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t know how to talk to other people… Other Soquili were confusing and misunderstanding. They never knew how to treat him, and every time he tried to make friends, it ended in fear and pain.

Just like his mother.

Shaking the thought from his head, Phosgene hissed some, his head shaking to get the thoughts from his mind. It caused his large ears to flop some, before settling easily down over his face. He glanced back up toward the mare, watching her with those pale slit eyes, waiting to see what she would do.

Novablu

 

[Novablu]

techabyte

Cyanide crept slowly, cautiously towards the beast who growled in low tones at her, spitting hisses and grumbles and vocalizations that were a mystery to her wolven ears. She knew, somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, that she had once been part of something bigger…a pack? Perhaps… She couldn’t recall faces, but the feeling, the essence of other wolfkin…they were ingrained in her. She knew they had once been a part of her, and now that they were disconnected, she was roaming with nowhere to call home, nowhere to return to. A rogue, a loner who frightened plenty despite her attempts at being placid and gentle. Horses weren’t naturally fighters--they were prey, rather than predator, and here she was, a mix of both wolf and equine yet somehow neither of those.

She was just Cyanide. Not that she knew who Cyanide was. But she would figure it out. It just took time and the scars on her pelt were still fresh, raised white lines around the patchiness of torn fur and flesh. When you awaken from a deathly nightmare, ripped apart and bleeding profusely…well maybe there was a reason she had no memory, no recollection. Maybe it was better this way. Still it left her longing, yearning for that connection.

And there was something about this beasts, with bone exposed on his muzzle, with strange floppy ears and chipped wings, half faded from this world like specters that hadn’t yet crossed over. It was like looking into the wounded, torn, angry facet of herself and it was like their hearts beat in unison, as one. How could that even be?

When the stallion bared fangs, sharp and deadly, Cyanide wasn’t afraid. It was like something deep inside of her had calmed it’s siren’s wail and was strangely calm, radiating a sense of peace to her inner nature. She blew out a soft breath, flicking her ears back and forth, listening to him.

He was so…beautiful. Tortured. A fallen angel.

His hiss didn’t startle her, but she edged a little close. He didn’t talk…or wouldn’t talk. “I’m Cyanide. Or…well. That’s the only name I could recall,” she murmured, her voice lulled. “What a strange naming scheme for wolfkin, eh?” She let out a small laugh, but it was almost voiceless and a little self-deprecating. Her blue eyes met his slitted pink ones and she offered a smile. “I suppose you don’t have a name…?” She tipped her head to the side, ears almost folding over, and her tail gave a lone wag. She shifted her weight, almost wanting to sit down and join him, but…

She would wait.  

[techabyte]

At first, Phosgene wasn't sure what to do. What to say. What to... anything. He just watched her, uncertain. She seemed to be confused or conflicted about something. And for that, Phosgene was torn as well. Usually by now, other creatures would run, hide. Or they would scream at him; call him an abomination and try to kill him. Phosgene remembered all the times that his mother had run him off when he trailed behind her like a lost pup. He had followed her for many moons, before giving up. The stallion flicked his tail back and forth, the tip scraping the ground, cutting through grass and dirt. He watched every second that passed by, gaze unlingering. He very rarely blinked, as when he did, she would come. And she would kill him...

And then he did blink.

And nothing happened.

Frowning a bit, the stallion tilted his head to the left, and then the right. His wings folded against his back, tight and unyielding. The faded edges seemed to shift and wave slightly in the lack of wind. It was as though he was already part dead; or dying at this very second. He could feel his heart beating hard in his chest. Something about her was different. She was a predator. Yet she didn't attack. A beast, like himself, and still she stayed still. When she mentioned her name, Phosgene's ears flicked up a bit, the faded tips flopping a bit before disappearing into nothingness for moment. Cyanide... He tried to form the word in his brain. It sounded like his own name, and his mothers. Deadly, in some way. Blinking at the mention of his own name, Phosgene looked up, watching her once more, before he shifted slightly.

"Ss... Sai.... nide.... Cya.... Cyanide..." It took him a moment to work out the word, before he shook his head again, making sure his tongue was well acquainted to the name, before he focused on the mare once more. "I am... P... Phosgene..." He murmured, voice pained and dark, gravely in a small way.

Novablu

 

[Novablu]

techabyte

Cyanide felt an overwhelming need to reach out and touch him, a brush of the muzzle against his skin, to feel the gouge of his spikes against her flesh... Consider that a strange thought. He was not wolfkin, far from her own, but...the jaws, the fangs, the primal beast inside those pale eyes, they were a hunter's eyes. A predator.

Which made her wonder--if he was so strangely strong...who and what was strong enough to tear him down? Her gaze flicked up and around the forest, a low huff emmanating from her as she sized up the seemingly empty woods. She'd heard tales of skinwalkers, beasts that mocked wolfkin by wearing wolven pelts, stealing wolfkin souls... A growl rippled out of her at the thought and then startled, she glanced back to the black and cream beast, his pink hair the only softness about him.

Phosgene. She mouthed it, tasted how it sounded on her tongue. "Phosgene," she repeated, her tail wagging gently. It was similar to her own strange name. She cocked her head to the side, watching him even as he watched her, and she found his mannerisms almost doggish as well.

She grinned. "You're like...a beautiful mashup of a bat and a bunny," she said, nodding vibrantly. "I've never..." She trailed off, calming down. Maybe he wouldn't like her gushing over him--and suddenly she wanted him to like her. She wasn't even sure why, but she felt something...like a one-ness, or the fact that she wasn't the only freak around town.

"Are you afraid of me?" she asked, very soft, almost uncertain.  

[techabyte]

At first, he was confused by her seemingly excitement. She was excited to see him? Or to meet him? What was going on... This was very... very backwards. Very odd... Very... The stallion shook his head some to clear his head, before he shifted casually. Now he wasn't hissing for irritation or anger, it was more the depth of slight pain and irritation at being unable to stand. The demon tail flicked some, before curling around his form, his eyes staying locked on the mare. After a moment, he tried once more to stand up. He was able to get to his feet, though his limbs shook slightly. He was small in stature, the Kirin side of him making him smaller than the average stallion, but still a good size. He relied mostly on speed and agility, rather than complete brute strength.

The mention of his name made his ears perk up some, eyes focusing. He nodded his head to confirm it was his name, before shifting some on his hooves. He didn't want to seem weak, and so he wasn't going to lay down. He found that for some reason, he wanted to impress this dark colored mare. His ears flopped down in front of his face some, before he tossed his head a bit to get them perked back up. His wings shifted once more against his back, before folding a bit more firmly to his back. His head tilted at the mashup comment. A bat and a bunny? He mentally went over his aspects. Rabbit like ears, but the wings of a bat... He could assume it made sense, though he never thought of it like that. His eyes flickered back over her form, before focusing on her face.

Afraid? Why would he... Why would he be afraid? He wasn't afraid of anything. His wings shifted again, an almost habit from being irritated. He shook his head slowly, showing that it was directed toward her. "N... No... Not afraid..." He managed, voice hoarse. It was obvious he hadn't spoken often at any point in time. It seemed strained and almost uncomfortable.

Novablu

 

[Novablu]

techabyte

She watched him move, hissing in pain as he tried to get to his feet and Cyanide was filled with a sense of helplessness, wanting to help him, wishing she could take his pain away--crazy, she’d just met him, but she knew that agony. Knew the pain she’d gone through, and had hated every dizzy, terrifying moment of it. That feeling of complete weakness and betrayal of your body. She dipped her head down, letting out a small whine, and when he finally managed on shaky legs, she stepped one step closer, tail wagging gently.

He was just a little smaller than her, as she was fairly large for a mare; she’d always blamed the wolfkin blood, but she had no issues with her size. She might’ve been large, but she was lithe, lean, and strong. She took the stallion in, appreciating every inch of him. He wasn’t anything like the other soquili she’d met along the way, a lot of them afraid of her…and when he said that he wasn’t afraid her of her ferocity, her heart lifted, skittering in her chest with excitement.

Had she found someone she could rely on? A friend? God, the word sounded…foreign. She couldn’t remember if she’d had friends, but surely she did. Right? Her ears folded back for a moment at the thought, but she shook herself out of it. “Do you have a pack--er…herd?” she asked, curiousity getting the better of her. “Or…are you a loner, like me.”

She was filled with the overwhelming urge to touch him, but she held it in check. Wolfkin thrived on touch, on connection…and having been alone for so long, she yearned for it. She hadn’t come across her kind since Monfulta and that seemed so far away ago.  

[techabyte]

Novablu

He was honestly very grateful for the space at the moment. His ability to stand up on his own was crucial. If he had help, then he woudl be weak. And that was one thing that Phosgene refused to have. He refused to be weak. Refused to be held down by the pain and diminishing flesh of his ears and wings. He watched her though, when the pain subsided enough that he was able to focus. His tail flicked slightly, the spade skirting against the dirt. It drew a faint line, before he took a half step forward, his head tilting to the side as he observed her once more.

She seemed to be dancing on her feet, in a way. Or at least her paws. Maybe it was from excitement. The way her tail wagged reminded him of a coyote he saw recently. It had wagged it's tail several times when he appeared to not attack it, and Phosgene was confused. He let the beast go, in favor of going out on his own. But now it seemed like he was getting back into communicating with canines. His ears flopped in front of his face, blocking his view for a moment as he tried to think things over. After a moment, the ears flipped back up, and he stared up at her with an almost new life entering his eyes. Someone wasn't trying to kill him, and seemed actually excited to be around him. It was worth the pain and discomfort.

"Herd....." He thought over the word for a moment, letting it roll through his mind. What was a herd? A group of people who loved and protected each other and stayed close to one another. Did he have one? He shook his head simply, his eyes flickering back up toward her when she mentioned being a loner. Why was she alone? She was nice, it seemed... And rather pretty looking. His wings shifted against his back, before he took a shaken step toward her, the bones making a slight creaking noise. "Why... alone?"  

[Novablu]

techabyte

She didn't want to push him, didn't want him to think she was worried because why should she be worried about a perfect stranger? And yet, she was. In this short time, she felt a connection with the strange, spiked stallion--but was this just her pack instincts taking over, craving the touch and the togetherness of a partner? Or was this a facet of her personality--she didn't think 'clinginess' was a good personality descriptor. So as she watched Phosgene get to his feet, she stood still and alert, her own heart pounding rapidly.

Then he stepped closer to her--a show of trust, in her book--and she smiled at him. A true smile, from the heart. He had no herd, no place to call home, no family to return to. Why? Because he looked like a nightmare, a storybook monster that would haunt your dreams? He wasn't scary, not to her--but then again, she was the big, bad wolf.

When he spoke to her, she folded her ears back and looked down at her paws, uncertain of how to reply. "I...don't know," she finally said, softer now. "I don't remember? Like...I know that I have memories, somewhere...but I don't remember anything." She turned, showing off a long, jagged scar that rippled from her shoulder to her knee, where she'd been torn open. "I don't know anything about me, really."

She took a deep breath, trying to think on the positive side; at least if her life sucked before the attack, she didn't know it...right? "But it's okay. Being alone, I mean, yeah it's lonely. Wolves are pack animals, but... It's okay."

Truth was, she didn't like being alone much, but she was already talking too much. She looked at him as he moved towards her, just a step, and she could see the bone of his leg. "Does it hurt?" she asked in a hushed voice.  

[techabyte]

Novablu

The stallion shifted lightly on his hooves, the bone making another small creek of a noise. He lifted his nose, breathing in deeply, taking in the smell of her. Though it didn't appear as though he was doing much in the form of smelling, it was all he could do. The muscles around his nose were gone, and so it couldn't appear as though his nose twitched when bringing in smells. It just sat there. He took in everything, until he was certain he had the smell captured in his nose. He lowered his head, pale pink eyes locked toward Cyanide with deadly precision. He could easily tell she was distraught over the mention of her family. The way her ears folded and her head dipped. A frown shifted over the stallions large mouth, and for a moment, he was uncertain what to do.

Perhaps she needed something. Phosgene wasn't sure what he could do to help, but if he could, he would. He shifted forward a bit, his tail skirting against the ground again, before he leaned and nudged her shoulder lightly with his lips. Normal creatures did the nose, but he did not want to hurt her with the brush of sharp bone. He took a step back after a moment, ears flopping down partially in front of his face. His muscles quivered for a moment, before he tilted his head to the side, analyzing her features quietly.

When she questioned about the bones that were revealed, Phosgene's head dipped down to look at the exposure. The stallion tilted his head one way, and then the other, before he looked up again. "N... Not... really." He murmured, before staring up toward her once more. It was partially a lie. At times, it hurt more than he liked to admit, and than other times, not at all. The fading of his ears and wings, the disappearance into nothing, that hurt more than anything. Though he never mentioned that to anyone.  

[Novablu]

techabyte

It killed her, the not knowing. Not knowing if she had family out there, her wolfkin mother worried about her, her father straying to the peaks of the mountains every night, in search of her, wondering if she’d return and hoping that she wasn’t hurt. Did she have siblings? Little wolf pups running around, suddenly lost at the absence of their big sister’s presence? Where was she from--why couldn’t she remember? She pressed her eyes shut tightly, shaking her head as if to shake off the thoughts, the worries clinging to those thoughts, the fears and insecurities of, what if she never remembered? What if she never found out--what then? Who was she? It hurt…

But she couldn’t focus on that right now. She’d been alone, wandering the wintry lands of Kawani for days, weeks, maybe even months. Her paws grew weary of the snow, though the thick fur covering her body was enough to keep her warm, and she yearned that if she had to suffer the coldness of snow, she wouldn’t have to suffer along. She wanted a companion--be it wolfkin or otherkin--and when she looked at this strange, spiked stallion with bone exposed to the air, something that looked so damn painful, something inside of her clicked. She was alone…but so was he. They had no family, no place to call home. They were alike, in a way. And he was so…

Soft? Soft wasn’t the right word, but he didn’t feel sharp. He smelled good, like the wild tinged with the soft cinnamon of the blood that was caked on his legs--legs he said didn’t hurt, but she’d bet her tail they did. Guys tended to be protective of their feelings, of their inner pains and tortures and from the look in those pale rose eyes, she was betting that he stuffed it all away, into a crevice deep inside his heart and soul, and put on a mask, a façade to the world.

And all of a sudden, Cyanide didn’t want to leave him. Which was crazy. They were strangers in a strange world, a world of snowflakes and skinwalkers that roamed the forests, looking for their next kill. But they were alike… Phosgene was small but she had no doubt he could be bloodthirsty if need be, and she? She was wolfkin, proud and strong. Together…well, they could be unstoppable.

And when the stallion pressed his lips gentle against her shoulder--first contact--she swelled with a sort of strange pride, her heart doing crazy flips in her chest and she couldn’t keep the smile off of her face, almost suddenly shy. How could anyone think he was scary? People were all the same, so judgmental… She wanted, more than anything, to protect him. Protect her stranger.

“So…you don’t really have a place to call home.” She flicked an ear, blue eyes watching him, intent on him as he was intent on her. “And neither do I. So we’re alike, in a way.” She was ready to gauge his reaction, ready to back off if she pushed him too far.

And then her vision blacked out, head spinning wild, thoughts twisting, warping, and in another time, she saw herself in mind’s eye, with a smile on her face that looked…terrifying. “We’re alike, you and I,” she heard herself say, a coy tilt to her lips. There was another wolf in front of her, but his expression, his face was only a blur…except for blue eyes, so cold that it sent a chill racing down Cyanide’s spine.

She backed up, shaking her head forcefully. “I-I’m sorry.”  

[techabyte]

At first, he wasn’t certain how to react. She… she didn’t seem frightened of him. Phosgene’s ears flipped up somewhat, as if perked, before they fell back forward and over his face. He didn’t know why he had touched her; had no real idea. He wasn’t the touchy feely type, usually. Usually, touching was taboo. Something that he did when he wanted to hurt and maim. Something he did in order to protect himself. But with this mare, he felt as though he could do much more. His head tilted for a moment, breathing in as much smell as he could through his nose, before he let out a small hiss of a noise, as though the smell brought him… pleasure? He wasn’t certain what to call it, really. He shifted lightly on his cloven hooves, before lowering his head in a sort of mock uncertainty. What was he uncertain of? He wasn’t even certain himself…

When she compared them, the stallion lifted his bright pink eyes. He frowned at the thought. Were they? Tilting his head the other way, Phosgene stared at her with confusion. Because they were both alone? Well, then why not be alone together? That would make them not alone any more, and in that, they would have nothing in common. But that was false as well. They were both outcasts, right? That meant they could have quite a bit in common, and in that, be a good pair of friends. Phosgene had never had a friend, never had someone to rely on ( at least since his sister had left his side ). The thought of having someone else with him made him smile slightly; a twisted, fanged smile. Yes, someone strong like her could be good… healthy even. He wouldn’t starve when he didn’t have the strength to move and wouldn’t have to fight off other animals for the small kills he could obtain in order to eat that weak. She could even probably help him with food in general...

Then she as gone. Something went over her, and he didn’t know what to do about it. Phosgene frowned deeply, his eyes narrowing for a moment as his ears perked up as best they could, still flopping lightly in front of his face. Something was wrong.. Something was different about her for a blink of an eye, and then she was backing up. He thought he had done it; thought it was his fault. Maybe she had realized just how much of a mistake it was to try and get close to a monster of a creature like him. Baring hi fangs in a snarl, Phosgene took a step back as well, hissing lightly under his breath. His long, Kalona tail lashed behind him, his wings flared slightly as he tried to seem imposing. He could pack quite the punch if he desired, but generally he tried to avoid doing such things unless he truly had to. He didn’t know what had triggered in her, but it sent off his defenses, and he was on high edge now.

Novablue